The 2024 Summer Reading Program (SRP) theme, “Strong Voices: Empowering Student Citizenship,” inspired a series of lectures and events at Meredith this fall.

“This year’s theme is complex. I’m excited for our students to benefit from a rich array of programs to help them explore the topic from varied perspectives,” said SRP Co-Director Ashley Hogan.

Political Power of Young Voters

The first event was a lecture by Heather White, founder and CEO of One Green Thing, who presented “Green Civics: Democracy Isn’t a Spectator Sport,” on September 10. A nationally recognized conservation and environmental policy expert, White geared her comments toward inspiring young voters. 

“It is up to all of us to understand what our role is in democracy,” White said, before sharing that she got her start in politics by serving as recount attorney for Al Gore’s presidential campaign. That 2000 presidential election, where just 537 votes made the difference in Florida, was one example she provided to show the importance of every vote.

White’s nonprofit tackles eco-anxiety through joyful daily action, inspiring culture change for policy solutions. Meredith College alumna Emily Necessary Fowler, ’98, serves as chief of start up for One Green Thing.

Because of her focus on environmental issues, White centered her talk on how climate concerns impact voters.

The principles of what White called “Green Civics” included becoming an informed voter who understands candidate positions on environmental and conservation issues and participates in local, state, and federal elections and governance. It also included “imagining what the Green future can be if we get it right.”

According to White, climate change is the number one issue for Gen Z voters globally.

“We have the climate change solutions we need. What is missing is the political will,” White said. “That’s where we all come in. Let’s do all we can to participate in our democratic process and create a healthier, greener, and more just future.” 

This event was made possible with support from the Environmental Sustainability Program, School of Natural and Mathematical Sciences, and Carla Ashley, ’78.

Mitchell Brown, ’93

Constitution Day Event Promotes Civic Participation

Mitchell Brown, ’93, a political science professor at Auburn University, presented “U.S. Elections and Our Mutual Obligations,” on September 16, in observance of Constitution Day. 

Brown, who studied political science at Meredith, spoke on how the U.S. Constitution informs elections and our participation. She encouraged students to think about what it means to be a U.S. citizen and the responsibilities that come with citizenship.

“We’re all members of this society. The Constitution sets boundaries and rules for participation and we get to choose how involved we are and how we engage,” Brown said.

According to Brown, elections are the ultimate expression of American values stated in the Constitution, and participating in them is, therefore, the ultimate act of what it means to be a citizen of the country.

“In local and state elections, every vote matters. Local elections are often decided by one vote,” said Brown. “In federal elections, your vote in North Carolina will really matter too because it is a purple state.”

This event was hosted by the Department of History, International Studies, Political Science, and Religious Studies.

Dawn Blagrove (center)

Emancipate NC Executive Director Presents Summer Reading Lecture

Emancipate NC Executive Director Dawn Blagrove presented the 2024 Summer Reading Program Lecture on September 19.

The title of Blagrove’s presentation was “Flex our citizenship muscle: creating a physically fit democracy.” Blagrove carried the metaphor of a healthy democracy throughout her talk, positing that, at this moment, the U.S. democracy is on “life support.”

“A democracy is a government in which the supreme power is vested in the people,” she said. “You all have the power to exercise your citizenship muscles to ensure our democracy becomes as physically fit as it can be.”

She proposed five “exercises” to strengthen the students’ citizenship muscles and thereby strengthen American democracy:

1. Be informed
2. Get involved
3. Vote
4. Demand accountability
5. Reject individualism – instead, build community

Blagrove explored the five exercises, sharing why each is important and how the students can become more engaged, powerful citizens.

She emphasized the need to seek out trusted sources of information, encouraging the audience to do their research and resist substituting memes for critical thought.

“You need to make sure you know what you’re talking about and understand political issues,” she said. “Do not abdicate that power to someone else. Being a good citizen means you become a primary information source to your friends.”

Blagrove reminded students that the politics that affect them most are those closest to them, so it is particularly important to vote locally, including for the Student Government Association at Meredith.

Accountability and community were the final exercises she touched on.

“A strong democracy requires knowing who is in your community and making their needs a priority; by doing so, your needs will be met,” said Blagrove.

Blagrove has emerged as a leading voice in North Carolina, demanding an end to mass incarceration and the dismantling of systemic and institutional racism. Blagrove worked as a post-conviction staff attorney with North Carolina Prisoner Legal Services for eight years. This experience, combined with her undergraduate training in secondary education, fuels her passion for educating youth and the public about abolishing the carceral system as executive director of Emancipate NC.

This event was co-sponsored by the Office of First Year Experience and the Department of History, International Studies, Political Science, and Religion.